In vitro anthelmintic activity and mode of action of Pleurotus djamor basidiomes and mycelium extracts and fractions against Haemonchus contortus eggs.

Abstract

This study evaluated the in vitro activity and mode of action of ethanolic extracts (Et) and respective different polarity fractions (hexane, ethyl acetate (EA), butanol, aqueous) from basidiomes and mycelium of Pleurotus djamor against Haemonchus contortus eggs, using the egg hatching test. After incubation (concentration gradient from 20 to 3600 μg/mL), emerged larvae and eggs were observed and counted, differentiating between morulated eggs (ME) and larvated eggs (LE). Effective concentrations required to inhibit 50% or 90% (EC₅₀; EC₉₀) of hatching, and their respective 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) were determined. Extracts and fractions obtained from basidiomes exhibited lower EC₅₀ (P < 0.05) than those obtained from the mycelium, except for the hexane basidiome fraction, which showed less activity compared to the mycelium fraction. Both butanol fractions presented similar EC₅₀ (~140 μg/mL). Polar mycelium materials exhibited a higher proportion of LE, while the hexane fraction demonstrated an ovicidal effect (abundant ME), and the EA fraction was inactive. The low EC₅₀ of extracts and fractions of basidiomes and mycelium confirmed that P. djamor is a promising non-conventional anthelmintic that should be evaluated under in vivo conditions with small ruminants. The EC₅₀ values were better than most tropical plant materials reported to date.